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Language Skills

R
SAS
Stata
Python

“I have extensive experience in supporting national programs and on projects that directly impact health in resource-limited settings.”

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Ifeoma Ozodiegwu

I have published scientific papers that generate insights about global health from complex surveys, supported national malaria programs to apply quantitative methods to inform strategic planning, and developed analysis pipelines to make it easy to visualise and generate estimates from the Demographic and Health Surveys.

Positions

Postdoctoral Fellow

Malaria Modeling Research Group (Gerardin’s Lab)

Northwestern University

present - 2019

  • Conducted situational analysis of malaria morbidity and mortality in Nigeria and Burkina Faso with Demographic and Health Surveys, and routine data to estimate parameters for quantitative assessment of optimal intervention packages
  • Provided technical advice to the Nigerian Malaria Elimination Programme on optimal subnational interventions along with related statistics to support evidence-based strategic planning, and the achievement of national malaria targets and policy-makers in endemic countries
  • Collaborated with national and international experts to develop mathematical models of malaria transmission, reports and analyses, and document best practices and lessons learned
  • Supported the development of national capacity building plans and strategies to develop evidence-informed subnational malaria strategic plans using mathematical models of malaria transmission
  • Conducted a critique of the demographic and health surveys in relation to subnational malaria indicators to inform questionnaire and survey strategy improvements
  • Collaborated with staff within Northwestern Memorial Hospital to support development of a simulation modeling platform for hospital surge capacity planning for COVID-19

Consultant

Dept of Science, Information and Dissemination

World Health Organization

2020

  • Led data collation and quality assurance of the Eastern Mediterranean health indicators for the 2020 annual report
  • Led data visualization of these indicators for the report, interfacing with the graphics team to ensure its timely production

Research Associate

Dept of Biostatistics and Epidemiology

East Tenessee State University

2019 - 2015

  • Led research to estimate subnational obesity prevalence in 7 African countries to measure progress towards achieving targets in the Global Non-communicable Disease Monitoring Framework
  • Analyzed the relationship between social determinants of health and obesity in 22 African countries and proposed recommendations for reducing obesity-related morbidity and mortality
  • Supported research on adverse childhood experiences and questionnaire development

Lead Consultant

Data Analysis and Evaluation

Community Innovation Center

2015 - 2014

  • Founded a consultancy company to support program planning, data analysis and evaluation
  • Led a needs assessment to identify gaps and set priorities for restructuring of the Nigerian National Neglected Tropical Diseases Monitoring and Evaluation System (client: Federal Ministry of Health and RTI International)
  • Developed and implemented a capacity building programme on data analysis and evaluation for Federal Ministry of Health Neglected Tropical Diseases Monitoring and Evaluation staff
  • Supported development of data collection and analysis plans to understand the distribution and purchasing practices for malaria chemoprevention in Nigeria (client: Society for Family Health)

Global Health Fellow

Research and Communications

Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia

2014 - 2013

  • Designed a data collection and analysis platform to collect health quality data, and conduct real-time descriptive analysis to understand factors associated with diarrheal disease in children under the age of five
  • Collated data depicting the Zambian health situation and outcomes of health interventions led by CIDRZ staff, and created reports for Ministry of Health staff to inform priority-setting
  • Led capacity building training in data collection and analysis for CIDRZ staff

Statistical Quality Assurance Specialist

Research and Evaluation

Washington DC Dept of Behavioral Health

2013 - 2012

  • Supported design and implementation of surveys, and analysis to evaluate accessibility, acceptability and quality of mental health care received within the District of Columbia’s public and private institutions
  • Designed data collection system, and led capacity building for data collectors

Other Positions

Co-Principal Investigator

COVID-19 Rapid Response Grant Award

N/A

present - 2020

  • Lead research to estimate Northwestern Memorial Hospital Bed Capacity Needs with a discrete event simulation model

Board Member

Malaria Modeling Consortium

N/A

2021 - 2019

  • Represent Northwestern University at the Malaria Modeling Consortium, an international body of malaria modelers and stakeholders
  • Contribute to the development of strategies to advance the use of modeling for national intervention planning
  • Contribute to the development of standards within the modeling community

Talks, Publications, & Working Papers

“I am passionate about data-driven decision-making. In many resource-poor settings, primary data is not readily available. My expertise lies in applying quantitative methods to make the best decisions with secondary data.”

Working Paper: Beyond national indicators: Adapting the Demographic and Health Surveys program to better inform subnational malaria intervention policy

Under peer review with the Malaria Journal

N/A

2021

  • Authored with Ambrose M, Battle K, Bever C, Diallo O, Galatas B, Runge M, Gerardin J

Working Paper: Systematic review of the global implementation of adverse childhood experiences surveys

Under review with Child Abuse and Neglect

N/A

2021

  • Authored with Quinn M, Okwori Glory, Steward Steven, Linh Ha

Application of mathematical models to inform national strategic planning in Nigeria

6th Future of Malaria Research Symposium

N/A

2020

  • Presentation of project performed at the Gerardin Lab

Urban-rural determinants of malaria transmission intensity, insecticide treated net Access and use in Nigeria

Lightning Talk at the Northwestern Institute of Complex Systems

N/A

2020

  • Presentation of ongoing project at the Gerardin Lab with mentee, Chilochibi Chiziba

A qualitative evidence synthesis of contextual factors contributing to female overweight and obesity over the life course in Sub-Saharan Africa

PLoS One

N/A

2019

  • Authored with Littleton MA, Nwabueze C, Famojuro O, Quinn M, Wallace R, Mamudu HM

Methods for understanding childhood trauma: modifying the adverse childhood experiences international questionnaire for cultural competency

International Journal of Public Health

N/A

2017

  • Authored with Quinn M, Caldara G, Collins K, Owens H, Loudermilk E, Stinson JD

Selected Press (About)

Time to act on malnutrition in all its forms in West Africa

Transform Nutrition West Africa

N/A

2020

  • My qualitative evidence synthesis was one of four works highlighted on this Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funded knowledge mobilization platform
  • I was asked to give direct comment on my findings to guide research and policy action

Education

DrPH, Epidemiology

Dept of Biostatistics and Epidemiology

East Tenessee State University

2019 - 2015

  • Dissertation: The prevalence and context of Adult Female Overweight and Obesity in sub-Saharan Africa
  • Recipient of a Rotary International Global Grant

MPH, Health Services Administration

Health Services Management and Policy

East Tenessee State University

2012 - 2010

  • Supported evaluation of national tobacco policies during internship with the World Health Organization
  • Recipient of the Frist Global Health Leader Award